Fire Buckets : All labs should be equipped with a fire bucket. The buckets are not used only for carrying water to a fire. This is one of their uses. The other way a fire bucket is used is by keeping it filled with sand and a scoop. You will find that sand can extinguish fire quickly and effectively. It is particularly useful for dealing with liquid spillage or with reactive chemicals such as alkali metals. Other advantages of sand are that it is easy to use and it is easy to clear up. If you use sand as an extinguisher or absorber, use it liberally. Speed is important when controlling fire or dangerous spillage, but you must be careful not to throw a large quantity of sand onto the hazard in your haste. This could cause splashing which would make the hazard worse. Of course, sprinkling too little sand onto the hazard is equally useless. Quick, liberal pouring is the best method and you should aim to cover the whole area of the flames or spillage, working from the outer edge inwards. Sand buckets should be three-quarters full, and covered with a loose cardboard disc with a hole in the centre. This sand should not be used for sand baths.